Love Body Foundation? Here are Some Skincare Tips to Follow When Using

Body foundations are having a major moment in the beauty aisles. From Fenty Beauty to Dermablend to KKW Beauty to Huda Beauty, brands have been hitting the market with body makeup intended to blur imperfections, enhance our skin tone, and provide a flawless finish on legs, arms, and other parts of our body — just like foundation does for our face.

While these body foundations, luminizers, highlighters, etc. have proven to give us HD-like skin, it’s important to make sure we’re also taking proper care of our skin while utilizing these products, because incorrectly using any type of makeup, body or otherwise, could lead to a variety of skin concerns including clogged pores, acne breakouts, and dry or oily skin issues.

Dr. Alicia Barba, a dermatologist and beauty expert for Dove, shared three tips for how to safely and properly care for your skin as you apply these body foundations, to ensure it stays healthy.

Here’s what she had to say:

Properly Prep Your Skin: “Before applying any form of make-up make sure your skin is properly prepped, removing any dead skin cells, dirt, etc. I recommend exfoliating your body as it’s the easiest method and allows for moisturizers to penetrate the skin better,” Dr. Barba says. “Be gentle when exfoliating in the shower and remember that exfoliation and moisturization should always go hand in hand. I recommend a gentle cleanser, like the Dove Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash. It has ultra-mild cleansing agents mixed with NutriumMoisture to hydrate while cleansing.”

Don’t Skip the Sunscreen: “Always a must! Your skin is the largest human organ, and it is the most visible. No matter what season we’re in, know that the skin constantly absorbs ultraviolet aging rays like a sponge, which then damage your DNA, collagen and cause pigment abnormalities,” she explains. “Many people of color tend to believe they’re invincible when it comes to the sun and needing sun protection, but you should wear sunscreen every day!”

PRO TIP: Opt for a body foundation with SPF infused, there’s many new options out there to not skip out on the SPF.

Remove Foundation with Ease: “Simply treat your body the way you would treat your face: with caution and care. Sleeping in your makeup can cause all sorts of negative effects on your skin such as body acne, breakouts and clogged pores,” Barba says. “Makeup remover wipes aren’t enough — even though the most tempting to use. Wipes only remove whatever is on the surface of the skin, which means pores and everything below the skin is left neglected.”

PRO TIP: Choose a strong cleanser that hydrates your skin while effectively removing all makeup. I recommend the Dove Beauty Bar, its cleansing formula is perfect for make-up removal and its ¼ moisturizers will leave your skin soft, smooth and glowing, without striping away skin’s moisture, like ordinary soap does!